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Derek Warner named Federal Way Mirror's Citizen of the Month

A local handyman, Derek Warner has been named The Mirror’s Citizen of the Month for December.

Nominated by his mother, Delores Warner, Derek is a selfless giver, following in the footsteps of his father, according to Delores.

“This young man has served as a ‘handyman’ for years, free of charge for many of his neighbors, as well as many of (my) neighbors who request his help and expertise in fixing many of their problems,” Delores wrote in an email to The Mirror. “His father taught him that helping others when they can’t help themselves was the noble thing to do. They did it together for years before his father died of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease). Since his father’s death, nearly four years ago, Derek has carried on his father’s legacy of helping others.”

Delores notes that Derek has helped repair washing machines, dryers, garage doors, water pipes and a myriad of other issues that many encounter in their day-to-day lives.

She said Derek also has been integral in helping “a widowed lady” get to doctor’s appointments, the grocery store and has also been a caregiver when that woman fell ill.

“(He) has helped eliminate moss from their roofs, repaired (numerous things) over the years, right down to catching moles in their yards,” Delores noted in her email. Derek was also instrumental in being a caregiver for his father, Vern, for the last 18 months of Vern’s life.

“He is always Johnny-on-the-Spot when someone needs him to do whatever it is he can, expecting nothing in return. And he checks in on me every day to help me with anything I need,” she said.

Derek said his selfless giving is just how he was raised by his parents, and that, to him, is just how things should be.

“I was raised that way and I don’t expect anything in return,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to be born here, blessed with a good job, blessed with a wonderful family and friends. It’s kind of a karma thing. The more you do, the more you get back in return.”

Email your nominations for Citizen of the Month to editor@fedwaymirror.com

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